September 29, 2009 – On a cool and breezy autumn day, Irish native and New Jersey resident Niall Handley of High Bridge Hills (N.J.) shot a one-over-par 71 and shares the first-round lead in the 3rd MGA Mid-Amateur Championship with Chuck Del Priore of Wykagyl. Both players were in the afternoon wave, when the clouds rolled in and the wind picked up, giving the 6,421-yard, par-70 layout a links feel that suited the 37-year-old Handley’s game.

“Particularly when I got to the ninth, 10th, 11th, and 12th holes down there by the water, I felt right at home,” said Handley, who had never played the course before today. “The wind was really tough to judge today, and hit a lot of knockdown shots that I used to play all the time growing up in Ireland. I hit the ball really solidly all day.”

The 43-year-old Del Priore won the 2003 Westchester Amateur and is a multi-time club champion at Wykagyl. Del Priore, who teamed with defending MGA Mid-Amateur champion Greg Rohlf to win the 1998 Ike team championship, had a steady round of two birdies and three bogeys, never getting into severe trouble and holing his share of putts on the fast, well-contoured greens.

The MGA Mid-Amateur is an invitational open to players 35 and older from across the Met Area, and a number of experienced players are in good shape to make a run at the title. Tied for third place at two-over 72 are Met Amateur runner-up John Ervasti of Sleepy Hollow, 2009 LIGA Amateur champion Bryan Pendrick of Oyster Bay, midday co-leader Jim Graham of Winged Foot, and a trio of players who call Bethpage their home course: Matthew Corrigan of Nassau Players, and Gerard Connolly and Hans Albertsson of Bethpage.

The winner of the 2005 Met Amateur here at the Creek, Ron Vannelli of Metuchen, is well-positioned after a three-over-par 73 has him two strokes out of the lead. Multiple MGA champion Ken Bakst of Friar’s Head also had a 73, as did Alan Specht of Wheatley Hills.

In last year’s championship at Bayonne Golf Club, Rohlf came from four strokes off the lead to capture the title in a playoff, and at five-over 75 is poised to contend for the title yet again. One stroke behind Rohlf is reigning MGA Senior Amateur champion Al Small, who stands five strokes out of the lead after a 76.

A total of 49 players out of the starting field of 83 players made the cut, which came at eight over par (78). The championship will conclude with 18 holes on Wednesday, September 30, when the third player in history will add his name to the Westmoreland Cup, the permanent trophy for the MGA Mid-Amateur. 

First Round Scores